1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to cushions and more particularly to a cushion for use with a bathtub having sliding shower doors.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many bathtubs that are equipped with sliding shower doors that permit a bathtub to be used as a shower as well as a bathtub. The shower doors are mounted on the bathtub on shower door tracks that allow one of the shower doors to be slid open. Often it is necessary to use the bathtub to bathe an infant or an elderly person that may be ill or disabled. In this case one of the shower doors is slid open to allow a caregiver, such as a mother, to bathe an infant in the bathtub. While bathing the infant it is necessary for the caregiver to rest his/her forearms on the edge of the bathtub; however, for a bathtub equipped with sliding shower doors this can be an inconvenient and uncomfortable situation. The reason for this is that the forearms of the caregiver must rest directly on the shower door tracks. The shower doors slide along these tracks, which are mounted directly on the top edge of the bathtub. The shower door tracks generally have a vertically extending edge. This edge while not sharp is very uncomfortable to rest forearms upon, especially when bearing any weight, such as the weight of an infant.
To alleviate this discomfort caregivers currently place an object such as a towel along the edge of the bathtub. This provides some relief but it is difficult to keep the towel in position while at the same time bathing an infant or elderly ill or disabled adult. Further, inevitably the towels soak up water from the bathing, which creates more laundry, and thus more work for the caregiver.
Another problem with shower door tracks is that they present a safety issue. There is a chance that a person""s toe or toes can get caught in between the tracks when entering or exiting the bathtub. This happens on rare occasions and can cause a person to trip and possibly break bones, which is especially perilous for elderly persons. Also a person can lose a toenail in such an accident.
What is needed is a waterproof or water-resistant cushion that will stay in place and provide comfort and safety even if there are shower door tracks along the edge of a bathtub.